Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Mild cartoon violence, positive message in Pokémon adventure
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us
What's the Story?
In POKÉMON THE MOVIE: THE POWER OF US, everyone is looking forward to the Wind Festival in Fula City, a city that "lives in harmony with the wind." Risa (Haven Paschall) is there to catch a Pokémon for her brother Rick, who is bedridden with a broken leg. Ash Ketchum (Sarah Natochenny) has just arrived from Pallet City with his loyal Pokémon, Pikachu, for the big Pokémon Catch Race. Team Rocket is there to start trouble. Uncle Callahan, eager to impress his niece Kelly, brags and lies about his Pokémon catching abilities. The scientist Toren, brilliant but shy and awkward, must give a speech. And Margo, the mayor's daughter, has been secretly going to the mountain forest to take care of a mysterious Pokémon named Zerarora, who the previous mayor tried to protect from poachers by lying about Zerarora being dead and the mountain cursed. After Team Rocket steals an Effect Spore bottle from Toren's lab and the bottle cracks open in the woods, and Margo steals the Eternal Flame as a way to reach Legendary Pokémon Lugia to protect Zerarora from a pair of poachers, dark Effect Spore clouds threaten to engulf Fula City and cancel the Wind Festival for good. It's up to Ash, Risa, Toren, and the rest to work together to use their individual strengths to save Fula City.
Is It Any Good?
Like the other movies in the Pokémon franchise, this has the usual cast of thousands and the Pokémon who love said cast of thousands. While the multiple story threads can be difficult to follow at times, Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us finds a way to unite everyone through teamwork and cooperation that more or less makes sense, even if one of the story threads remains unaddressed until a brief scene shoehorned in after the credits. In other words, viewers who aren't Pokémon superfans are far less likely to get lost, confused, and inevitably disinterested in the story.
Even so, in terms of character backstories and setting histories, many adult viewers will have an easier time taking apart the novels of William Faulkner than they will the convoluted storylines contained in this movie. But for kids, there are plenty of exciting Pokémon battles and easy-to-understand positive messages. The anime melodrama is abundant, but so is the action. The result is one of the better movies in the series. Like the others, it's still best for the superfans, but it's possible that this movie might win some converts as well.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Pokémon. Why do you think Pokémon continues to be popular? How does this movie reflect the "battles" kids might have when playing Pokémon?
How does Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us show teamwork and cooperation? Have there been times in your life when you worked with friends, teammates, or classmates to create something, win a game, or make a project?
What happens when one of the characters tries to lie about how good he is at catching Pokémon?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 25, 2018
- On DVD or streaming : March 19, 2019
- Cast : Sarah Natochenny , Haven Paschall , Erica Schroeder
- Director : Tetsuo Yajima
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Warner Brothers
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Friendship
- Run time : 96 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate